Method of expanding metal lath



July 18, 1933.

H. K. BAKER METHOD OF EXPANDING METAL LATH 10 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed April24, 1929 INVEN OR 2 ATTdRNEYs July 18, 1933. H. K. BAKER METHOD OFEXPANDING METAL LATH Filed April 24, 1929 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 O O wwo 00-. 2o :0 o .o. 0, o

INVENTOR ATTORNEY- July 18, 1933- H. K. BAKER METHOD OF EXPANDING METALLATH Filed April 24, 1929 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS July 18, 1933. H.K. BAKER METHOD OF EXPANDING METAL LATH Filed April 24, 1929 10Sheets-Sheet 4 X24 4 ATTORNEYS INVENTO y 1933- H. K. BAKER METHOD OFEXPANDING METAL LATH Filed April 24, 1929 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 AT-roRNEYsJuly 18, 1933. H. K. BAKER 1 METHOD OF EXPANDING METAL LATH Filed April24, 1929 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTORNEYS July 18, 1933. BAKER 1,918,316

METHOD OF EXPANDING METAL LATH Filed April 24, 1929 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 BYZ Z a, 0'1! I ATTdRNEYfi July 18, 1933.

H. K. BAKER METHOD OF EXPANDING METAL LATH 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed April24, 1929 w. m M

Y u m,

INVENTOR 10 sheets -sheet 9 ATTORNEY 5 July 18, 1933. H. K. BAKER METHODOF EXPANDING MET1\L LATE Filed April 24, 1929 Patented July 18, 1933PAT? 035 EARXERSBURG,

T VIRGINIA, [-i CGBPORATIGN {BF IvIASSACHUSETTS METHOD 1F EXPANDINGIEETAL LATI-I Application filed April 24,

This invention relates to a method of expanding metal lath and hasparticular reterence to the type of expansion involving the use ofdiverging expander arms or guides.

Genera ly considered the objects of the -vention include increased rateof producion, simplification of he construction and operation of theapparatus employed and production of lath with the lea t possiblestrains to the mesh work, which tend to result in a weal: and easilybroken finished product.

More specifically, l contemplate the employment of a pro-openingoperation in order to facilitate the subsequent and complete expansionof the mesh work.

It is also an object of the invention to reduce the an le of divergenceof the expandor guides in order that the blanks may not be subjected toany sudden tearing strains during expansion and in order to simplify thedriving mechanism for the rollers which feed the blanks through thediverging expander guides.

lso contemplate making the cooperating elements of the guides in such amanner and of such materials as to give them very great operating lifeand render them inexpensively and read'ly renewable.

How the foregoing objects and advanare obtained together with otherswhich are incident thereto, will be clear from a consideration of thefollowing description taken with the accompanying drawings whichillustrate the Jreterred embod non; of the invention in which l igs. laand 1b constitute a top plan view of apparatus suitable for complisl thepreopening and expanding the present in vention;

= 's. and so talen together form a side tonal view of the a paratusshown in 1a and ll hr certain parts of the pro-opening incoh- .i..ismsuostantially as indicated by the line 2o;

. at is an enlarged longitudinal section 1929. Serial N0. 357,643.

thru the pro-opening mechanism taken as indicated by the line 4L-i ofFig. 1a;

Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive are somewhat diagrammaticviews (taken asdescribed here inatter) of details of the preopening mechanism includingsectional showings of certain of the guides with a blank therebetween;

F gs. 9 and 10 are sectional views of the expander guides taken asindicated by the lines 9-9 and 1 -10 of Figs. 1a and 1?) respectivelyFig. 11 is a sectional. View thru the delivery end of the apparatus ofthe present in vention taken substantially as indicated by the line11-11 of Fig. 15;

Figs. 12 and 13 are face and sectional views, respectively, of a slittedand ribbed blank adapted to be expanded by the apparatus and accordingto the method of the present invention; and

Figs. 14 and 15 are face and sectional views, respectively, of a portionof a completely expanded sheet of lath.

Before describing in detail he method and apparatus herein disclosed, itshould be understood that the invention is particularly concerned withthe completion of what is now well known in the art as high rib lath thesame having relatively high ribs or 8 grooves formed in the unslitt-edstrips extending longitudinally of the sheets between mesh worksections, in contradistinction to what is commonly called flat rib lathwhich is usually provided with very shallow beads extendinglongitudinally thru the unslitted strips of a sheet. It might also beobserved that the relatively deep grooves of the former type of lath areprovided primarily for the purpose of giving the sheet strength andrigidity while the very shallow beads or the latter type are commonlyemployed in order to provide means whereby the blanks may be guided thruand expandin mechanism.

In order that the method of the present invention may be more readilyunderstood, reference should first be made to Figs. 12 to 15 inclusive,Nos. 12 and 13 of which illustrate the condition of the blank just priorto the time of entering the mechanism of the present inventlon and Nos.1d and of which illustrate the lat-h after it has been delivered fromthe mechanism of the present invention in a completely expanded form. Amethod and apparatus for producing blanks of the type illustrated inFigs. 12 and 13 is disclosed in my copending application Serial No.356,331 filed April 19th, 1929.

It will be observed from the figures just above noted that the blanksare provided with pairs of longitudinally extended slitted areas, theslits being arranged to provide strands S which are arranged instaggered formation and which are interconnected by connecting bridgesZ. The strands S are inclined longitudinally of the blank and thestrands of adjacent areas or strips are oppositely inclined. Between thepairs of slitted areas are unslitted strips X which are relatively wideanc thru which extend the relatively shallow beads B. The beads B areadapted to be engaged and folded up i '0 the relatively high ribsindicated at B in Figs. 14 and 15 by means of the apparatus to bedescribed hereinafter.

is also to be noted at this point that angled grooves G extendlongitudinally of the blank between the slitted areas of each pair,

the l g-bs of the grooves G preferably extending substantially at rightangles to each other and ov y taking Porticn Oi t f the slit' ed areason either side. Note also hat the beads 13 and the grooves G arearranged in alternate formation transversely the sheet and that all ofthe grooves project to one side or face of the sheet while tne beads l3project toward the other.

From inspection of the drawings, partic- Figs. 144, 1. 0. 2a, 27), 3 andd, it will that the form of apparatus for carout the process is mountedon be-c re 16 which is suitably supported standards 17. ille apparatusfor accomplishing the preoening of the lath (see Figs. 1a, 2a, 3 and inhides the upper and lower cooperating s of feeding rollers 18 and 19respectively ch are adapted to engage the relatively shallow beads B tostart the blanks 'thru tus and which are suitably mountd on shafts 20and 21, the latter being jourin supporting members 22 secured to ingupwardly from the bed plate rlote hat the lower shaft 21 is jourled'directly in the members 22 and that tne upper shaft 20 is journalledtherein indirectly. so to speak, by means of bearing VOL).

blocks 23 mounted for vertical movement between jaws opening from thetop edges of members 22. Bracket members 24 bridge the aws and areprovided with adjusting bolts 25 for securing the blocks 23 in positionto bring the working surfaces of the upper and lower cooperating rollers18 and 19 into position for gripping and feeding the blanks as they arefed into the apparatus. The manner in which the blanl s are gand fed bythe rollers 18 and 19, just described as well as by hose be tlQSCllbGLhereinafter, is clearly illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive.

Extending forwardly from the working surfaces of the rollers 18 and 19,I have provided cooperating pairs of upper and lower guides for engagingthe beads B and guiding the blanks forwardly until they are ed by otherrollers which perform the up operation. These guides are ine-d by thereference characters 26 and in Figs. la, 3. l and (3 and it should be.at these guides extend forwardly in ally parallel relation to the bedthe same being supported on the by means f the upper and lower 8 and 29{see l).

e' are the hla ks pass out of the guides k .6 and 2'? their angledgrooves G are onby the upper and lower rollers 30 and 31 which havesimilarly angled working surfaces. However, these rollers 30 and 31 arearranged to e 'icnd tie legs of the grooves m j l F to. e in anadcitional strip 0..

either sidthereof. The

rolle s 30 and 31 ar mounted on the shafts 32 1c 33 the same beingjournalled in the unri. hts 22 sim rarly to the shafts 20 and 21, inclu.a direct bearing for the shaft 33 arl nearing blocks M for the shaft 32iounted between jaws which are closed or ridged by the members 35 andbolts 36 for Whtening the rollers in their gripping posiding forwardlyfrom the working of the rollers 30 and 31, I have arthe cooperating 37and 33 gripping surfaces which gradually ice or taper from theirentrance ends to delivery ends in such inanff to gradually release oruncover the por one of the slitted areas which are included in the legsof the angled grooves G of the blanks which they 'llr is, they taperfrom a configur subs ally the same that a5. 3 coves delivered from therollers 30 and 31 to a conliq'u substantially as in ated in 8. .1 rs.'4" and 3 clearly indie .ie this change but it should oe observed tlthese figures are no ken at extreme ends of the guides. but i section atpoints intermedi to t eir ends, e. of the figured to grip substantiallythe entire unslitted areas X of the blanks and fold them i into grooveswhose legs extend at substantially rightangles to each other. Stated inano her way the rollers 39 and d0 deepen enlarge the r latively shallowbeads B t :ing in the unslitte-c areas on each side The rollers 39 andare mounted ll and the same being jourthe members 22 in exactly the samemann r as the shafts 32 and 33 hereinbefore described.

- ond set so of rib forming rollers 43 and are ositioned and mounted onshafts and 46, the said shafts also being mounted in the mannerhereinbefore described. These rollers, as will be seen from inspectionof Fig. have working surfaces which fold up the right angled ribs intosubstan- 0 tia y ii -shaped configuration. Short coopcrating guides 47and 1 8 (see Figs. la and i) serve to direct the ribs of the blanks asthey pass thru the apparatus from the rib forming rollers 39 and $0 tothose numbered 43 and 4 Supporting brackets 49 and 50 p -oned betweenthe sets of rollers 39, s0 and d3, e', the same serving to support thegui nos 4-? and 48 as well as those numbered 8'? and 38.

shafts for the lower sets of rollers, se numbered 21, 33, 412 and 46 arerein the main drive shaft 51 thru S lOCliQ' 'J and chain con- 54, withthe shaft 46, connected therev ith 3 and 56 mounted on lves and theidlers 58 and therew th. From inspec- I it be seen that this gearngement provides a synchronized for all of the upper and lower roller eapparatus for EICCODlPhShlLQ the era LC mg is also mounted on the ta le10 and in general consists of number of pairs of diverging guides androllers for feeding the blanks therethrough. The receiving ends of setsof upper and lower guides 60 i e positioned adjacent to the work- 50 ingsui aces of the rollers 48 and 4.4 and a e ac apteo to receive andengage the ll-sha d ribs of the blanks as they are delivered from herollers. At this point the cooperating upper and lower guides aresupported by means of the supports or brackets 62 and 68 respectively,the same extending transversely of the appa tus between the up of hepreopening apparatus (see The ot--.er ends of th in each other in a hported by means the latter being ca 9 secured to the Figs. la and 2a).

ing rollers are arranged at the delivery ends of tl pairs of guides 60,61, the same being indicated by the reference characters 66 and A shaft68 serves to support and drive all of the upper rollers 66, the saidshaft being journalled at its ends in the standards 69 by means ofbearing blocks 70 mounted for vertical movement in the jaws which areformed at the top of the members 69 and which are indicated in Fig. 2aat 71. The upwardly opening jaws 71 are closed by the bridge members 72and adjusting bolts 73 are provided therein. This journal constructionis similar to that described in connection with the shafts 20, 82, lland 45 with the exception that the adjusting bolts 73 react thru theintermediation of springs 74 instead of directly against the blocks 70.The lower rollers of the cooperating pairs new under consideration aremounted on the shaft 75 which is journalled directly in the members 69.

Extending forwardly from the delivery side of these rollers are otherpairs of diverging guides 60, 61 which are similar in a l respects tothose already described. At their receiving ends they are spaced andsupported in a suitable manner by means of the transverse bracketmembers 76 and 77 While their ier ends they are engaged and supported bymembers 64: and 65 constructed and supported in the same manner as thosepreviously referred to, provision being made, however, for engagement ofthe guides 60, 61 at intervals which are farther apart than those at thedelivery ends of the first described pairs of guides 60, 61. Feedingrollers and supports are provided at the delivery ends of the secondmentioned set of that this contruction including 68 and 75 andsupporting members 64, 65 and 76, 77, is identical with that alreadydescribed with the exception that the rollers 36 and 67 are more widelyspaced and that the guide arranged to deliver and re ccive the blanks atthe spaced intervals occurring between the rollers.

A third construction of this character is positioned and supported onthe table 16 beyond those already referred to and it should be notedthat these constructions are spaced longitudinally of the table atsubstantially equal intervals.

At this point it might be observed that the cross sectionalconfiguration of the guides 60, 61 and the rollers 66, 67 are adapted toengage and maintain the formation of the ribs of the blanks during theeX- panding operation. Note also that the guides 60, 61 of specialconstruction in order to reduce weand facilitate reolacements. Accordingto this construction the main bodies of the guides 60, 61 are formed ofcast metal, the lower guides 61 having grooves adapted to embrace orengage ribs and the upper guides being provir ed with renewable stripsor knives 78 (see 9 to 11 inclusive). These knives 78 received insuitable longitudinally extending slots in the guides 60 and are securedin position by means of the pins 79, the same preferably being ofwedgelike formation in order to ensure tight gripping contact in theopenings provided therefor in the guide members 60 and 78. The knives 78tend into and thus maintain the formathe ribs during the ex nd 1 operzand it should be observed at he knives 78 are preferably made of steel.

The metals here employed, i. e. cast iron and steel, make for thestrongest and longest lived guide construction pow knives employed mustbe relative therefore. would not be of sufficient 2 if made of castiron, because such me is well known in the art, is el b I. haveconstructed these k of steel in order that they may strength, and havecon. bodies of the guides 60 or cast iron in order to reduce the cost ofproduction of the parts. The lower guides 61 may be cons tirely of castiron in view of the no relatively thin knives or parts sary in a guideof grooved form thermore, the cast iron employed the lower members wearsvery slowly. This construction therefore, results in in-erzpcn sivemanufacture as well as longer lif I the guide members than was possibleheretofore.

Mounted on the table 16 at the ends of the last pairs of diverging 60,61, are supporting I members or 80 (see Figs. 1b, 2b, and 11) and so. inthese members 80 I have prov fourth set of upper and lower fcedi crs G0and 67 mounted on upper and lower shafts 68 and in the same mahereinbefore described. The lower si -aft (5 in this case is direct ygournaled 11] the mbers while the upper shaft 68 is provided withbearing blocks 7 O which mounted for vertical movement between the jaws81, the latter being bridged in this instance by means of the membersiusting bolts 7 3 and springs 74 are 82, also provided in this instance.

The delivery ends of the guides 60, 1 the last set are supported byinians of the transversely extending supporting members 83 and 84c inUOSlillOll to deliver -l i the ribs or the blanks to the cooperatingtongue and groove working surfaces of the rollers 66 and 67. This lastor delivering crs feeds the blanks to the s guides and rollers locatedimmedi: therebeyond. The straightening guides constructed similarly tothose already c.-

scribed and from inspection of Figs. 1b and 11, it will be seen thatthey are again mounted or supported by transversely extending members 85and 86.

Beyond the guides 87 and 88 in the direction of feed to the apparatusare arranged two upper and three lower straightening roller shafts 89and 90 respectively, the three lower ones 90 being directly mounted inthe uprights 80 and the two upper ones 89 being arranged in staggeredrelation to the lower ones and being carried by the journal boxes 91between jaws 92, the latte being closed by means of the binder orbridging member 82. The mechanisms indicated by the reference character98 serve to adjust the vertical position of the blocks 91.

The upper shafts 89 are provided with straightening rollers 94 havingcircumferential tongues on'their working edges for engaging the interiorof the ribs of the expanded sheets while the lower shafts 90 areprovided will rollers 95 having circumferential grooves at heir workingedges for engagi the outside of the ribs.

Each pair of shafts 68 and 75 for the feeding rollers 66, 67 areinterconnected by means of gears 96 and 97 (see Figs. 1a, 1?), and 8)and all of the lower shafts 75 are connected to the main drive shaft 51by means of the chain connections indicated in 10;, 1b, 2a, and 2?) bythe reference numerals 98, 99, 100 and 101, each succeeding connectionsprockets 102 keyed to the shafts 7 5 and 51.

The drivin mechanism for the deliver ing or straightening rollersincludes a chain connection 108 between the last of the lower shafts 7 5and the first of the straightening roller shafts 90, each of said shaftsbeing provided with a cooperating sprocket wh el 102 (see Figs. 17) andAll of the lower shafts 90 have gears 10% which are interconnected bymeans of the i ler gears 105 all positioned at the side of the apparatusdjacent to the chain driving mechanism.

At the other side of the apparatus the upper roller shafts 89 areprovided with gears 100 which mesh with a gear 107 keyed to the centrallower shaft 90 at the same side of the apparatus. It will be seen,therefore, that the forming rollers 18, 19, 30, 31, d9, 10, 43, 14 andthe feeding rollers 66, 67, as well as the straightening rollers 9%: and95 are all driven in timed relation from a single driving shaft, i. e.the shaft 51 which, as shown in Fig. 1a is provided with sprocket wheels108 for coupling with any suitable source of power.

In considering the operation of the apparatus and also the advantagesincident thereto, reference should first be made to the drawingsillustrating the pie-opening parts of the mechanism, particularly Figs.5 to 8 inclusive. When a blank of the character hereinbetore described(see Figs. 12 and 13) is fed into the front end of the machine, itsrelatively shallow beads B are first en- 5 aged by the initial pairsof'teeding rollers 8 and 19, the said rollers having working faces ofinto itial bead and groove i feed the beads B of the blank and thusserve as guides therefor (see F is the blank is fed forward ly by l and19, the beads B as well as the uns.-. d areas on each side thereof areengaged by the cooperating guides 26 and 27. About midway of the guides26 15 and 27, the angled grooves G in the center as engaged by therollers h, as already observed, e):-

the grooves G and take in al port-ion of the sit'ed areas.

ed that this is accomthe legs 1 e centers configuration whicr e sheet.

one of the angl d grooves G are held (by means of the rollers and 31) inone same plane in which the guides 26 and 2. iold the unslitted areas 1their beads B. This operation sli; y inclines l talien by the rollers 30and 31, the ination, wil be seen from inspection ig. 6, being downwardlyfrom the guides 7 toward the lower extremity of the he angled grooves Gand it might .so be noted that this operation very slighthes OEDGBS thestrands which are n l y the rollers 30 and 31. Upon tnrn the rollers 80and 31 the blank forwardly thru the guides 37 and 38 I as alreadypointed out, are of a cross- -.al conlig ration similar to that of the 0and 3-1. These guides, as will be 'oin inspection of Fig. guide thegrooves of the blank forwardly until .i is delivered to the guides and eexpander proper. Two sets of rib and forming rollers 39, l0 and 43,.rraxred at successive points along and. 38. The first set 39, 4O)artially fold up the unslitted ositioned along the guides ointbeyondthat at which the p rtion of the additional sli 'ch taken in by therollers 1e elease is, of course, gradual nds the uides 37 and reas whichare ends, the same being acshcd by the tapered formation of the 1111soperation will be clear from and as will b section of the tinction to anopening pull in a direction in or laterally of the plane of the brldges.

Stated in another way, each strand is bent or swung from one end throughan are which lies in a plane substantially at right angles to theconnecting bridges Z and, of course, to the legs 01 the rooves G. Thetype of opening accomplis ed by the present apparatus subjects thestrands and bridges to the least possible strains and therefore is advanageous in providing a stronger finished product. Note still turther inconnection with Fig. 7 the strands S adjacent the unslitted strips arebent or opened with respect to the said unslitted strips in the samemanner as the intermediate strands are bent or opened up with respect totheir connecting bridges Z. This is accomplished by the partial toldingup of the unslitted strips, i. e. to a position in which the slittedareas as a Whole extend at substantially right angles ti 61 3 from.

The second set of forming rollers 43, A is positioned approximately atthe ends of the guides 37 and 38 and in view of the fact that the guidesprogressively en age and less of the slitted areas at the sides of theangled grooves G, additional strands S are released. These additionalstrands S are slightly opened up in the manner already described by theadditional folding up of the unslitted areas X into the rentively highribs the same accomplished by means of the rollers a3 and la (see Fig.8). It should also be observed here again that the centers of therelatively high ribs and of the grooves G are still maintained (by therollers and guides) in substantially the same plane.

The foregoing pie-expansion or pro-open ing operation, it might benoted, should not be confused with the expanding operation proper, i. e.that accomplished bv the diverging sets of guides. Tnis preopeuingoperation prepares the blanks, so to speak, for the subsequent expandingoperation by slightly forming or bending the strands in a manner whichsubjects t em to the least possible strains, and according to which thesubsequent expansion or bending of the strands will continue along thesame lines as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. It is also worthy of note thatheretofore in this art great difficulty has been experienced inproducing lath by means of apparatus employingdiverging guides withoutsubjecting the strands of the mesh work to strains which at times evencaused breakage during expansion and very frequently resulted in a weakfinished article. The underlying cause of this difiiculty is the factthat the diverging guides of an expander of the type in question tend toopen the strands edgewise in the general plane of the sheet and thussubject the connecting bridges to very great tearing strains. Myinvention, however, prepares the blanks, for expansion by divergingguides, in such a manner that the bending or opening up of the strandswill be carried out with a mininum of tearing strains to the bridges.Thus the apparatus of the present invention permits the use of anexpander of the diverging guide type with its incident advanta e of highspeed production without sacrificing strength in the finished lath. V

In continuing the discussion of the operation of the apparatus, itshould be observed that the last set of rib forming rollers 4:23, ll,deliver the lath blanks directly to the first set of diverging guides60, 61, the same being configured to engage and maintain the formationof the relative high ribs. hen

he forward edge of a blank has passed thru the first set of divergingguides, its ribs are engaged by the feeding rollers 66, 67 and as theblank advances thru the second set of diverging guides, it is engaged bythe second set of feeding rollers and so on progressively to the thirdand last sets, being borne in mind, of course, that all of the feedingrollers 66 and 67 are driven in synchronism. At this point, severaladvantages of the particular type of expanding mechanism hereindisclosed should be noted.

Firstly, the total length of the expander proper is much greater thanthat commonly provided, i. e. substantially greater than the length ofthe blanks commonly used and substantially greater than the lengthofexpanders commonly employed in producing a fully expanded lath of agiven width. This, of course, enables the guides to be positioned at avery small angle of divergence with the result that the strains to thestrands are still further reduced. The small angle of divergence of theguides also permits the use of feeding rollers mounted as shown anddescribed herein, i. e. on shafts or axes of rotation which extendtransversely of the guiding mechanism as a whole. Heretofore, wnenfeeding rollers were employed in connection with diverging guides theangle of divergence of the guides was such that the rollers had, ofnecessity, to be mounted individually on axes extending at right anglesto the particular guides with which the pairs were associated. Stated inanother Way, as heretofore constructed, each pair of feeding rollers wasmounted and arranged so that their gripping surfaces moved in the (liction of feed of the blanks thru the particular guides with which thepair was associated. The complication in providing driving connectionsfor feeding rollers mounted in this manner is obviously very great.

I have completely obviated the d fiiculties just noted by reducing theangle of divergence of the guides to a point which permits the use ofsets of feeding rollers mounted for rotation on coinciding or parallelaxes the same extending transversely of the expander guides as a whole.All of the upper or lower rollers in a rib engaging set may, therefore,be mounted on a single shaft. The driving connections necessary are,thereby, greatly simplified as is, also, the mounting of the rollers.

Still another advantage of the decreased gle of divergence of theexpander guides the decreased wear and tear to the guides feedingrollers in general. it is ohthatthe feeding rollers must engage lankswith a much greater pressure in panders having a relatively great angleivergence than in expanders in which angle is diminished. lt is alsoobvious a greater angle of divergence subjects he guides toproportionately increased lateral wear.

The difiiculties which have been noted just above have been particularlytroublesome in the manufacture of the so-called high rib lath by thediverging guide type of expander in view of the fact that the relativelyhigh ribs must be almost constantly engaged either by guides or rollersthroughout the entire length of the expanding mechnism in order toprevent the ribs from opening out or spreading during the expansionprocess and where the guides have a relatively great angle of divergencethe necessary continuous contact of the guides and rollers with the ribsof the blanks resulted in an amount of frictional resistance which wasvery detrimental to the efficient operation of the mechanism. This cii'liculty is considerably ameliorated according to the presentinvention by lengthening out and thus reducing the angle of divergenceof the expander guides.

In addition to the advantages already pointed out in connection with theconstruction of the guide members themselves it should be observed thatthe provision of renewable tongue or knife member of each of the upperguides is advantageous as such knives may be replaced, when necessary onaccount of the wear, without renewing the entire guide member. This, ofcourse, makes for economy in the maintenance of the apthe l stock bycutting the same into suitabl lengths and machining the blank aging edgeand ends. Still further an e resides in the fact that the renewves arethe parts of the guides Which are subject to the greatest Wear. Thiswill be apparent from inspection of Figure 9 or Figure 10 from Which itWill be seen that the contact and, therefore, the wear on the grooves ofthe lower guide members 61 is distributed not only on each side or thegrooves but also throughout a relatively large area on each of the saidsides, Whereas practically all oi the Wear to the upper guides willoccur at the bottom edges of the knives 78. The construction, therefore,makes provision for the renewal or replace-- ment of the parts whichWear most rapidl The advantages incident to the use of steel and castiron in making one knives and the guide bodies have already been noted.

The operation of the delivery mechanism including the guides 87 and 88one the roll ers 9i and 95 is quite obvious, the said guides and rollersmerel serving to straighten and even up the ribs as they are deliveredfrom the last set of feeding rollers 66 and 67 and to d liver the blanksfrom the apparatus. A portion of a completed blank is illustrated inFigs. 14 and 15 from which it will be observed that the mesh Work takesthe form is k1 of a. plurality of inclined diamond-shaped meshes oneither side of relatively narrow nslit-ted strips, the latter originallyconstituting the central portion of the angled grooves G (see Figs. 12and 13). It Will also be noted that the diamonds are inclined inopposite directions on each side of the said relatively narrow unslittedstrips and that the strengthening ribs B1 are in terposed between eachpair of mesh Work se tions. 45 b in conclusion attention should again bedirected to the simplicity of the driving mechanism for the variousforming, feeding and deivery rollers, the same not requiring the use ofany flexible or universal connections whatsoever.

The appzuatus herein disclosed is described and claimed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 619,186, filed June 25th,

- less.

claim l e method of pro-opening blanks havlongitudinally extendingunslitted and longitudinally extending slitted a groove therein, whichincludes 1e l 1 its groove, gradually .oianx at portions of the slittedarea included in the groove, and slightly opening said portions, asreleased, by folding up the unslitted area into a relatively deeo rib.

2. The herein described method of preopening blanks having alongitudinally ex tend ig'slitted area With a groove therein,

maintainin the original Width otthe blank,

and slightly opening the strands of the slittod area included in thelegs of the groove.

3. The herein described method of preopening blanks having alongitudinally extending slitted area With a groove therein, whichincludes extending the legs of the groove to include additional portionsof the slittcd area on each side thereof While still maintaining theoriginal Width of the blank, and slightly opening the strands of theslitted area included in the legs of the groove, said last mentionedstep being card on progressively beginning With the ads at theextremities of the groove legs. 4. The method of pro-opening blanks havalongitudinally extending slitted area l a groove in the slitted area,the legs of which extend substantially at right angles to each other,Which includes extending the i of the groove to slightly open the of theslitted area not included i fire-in, and slightly opening the strandsincluded in the groove the last mentioned step being carried onprogressively beginning with the strands at the extremities of thegroove legs.

0. The method of pro-opening blanks having a longitudinally extendingslitted area which includes forming a groove in the tted area, the legsof Which extend subitially at right angles to each other, ghtly openingthe strands of the slitted area included in the legs of the groove, theopening operation being carried on progressively beginning withthestrands at the extremities of the said legs.

6. The method of pro-opening blanks having a longitudinally extendingslitted area which includes forming a groove in the s itt d area thelegs of which extend subs ally at right angles to each other,

ly opening the strands of the slitted ncluded in the legs of the grooveby v'inging the same from one end through an are which lies in a planesubstantially at right angles to the legs of the groove in which theyare include 7. The method of pro-opening blanks having a longitudinallyextending slitted area WllClI includes forming a groove in the slittedarea, the slitted area included in the legs of the groove by swin ingthe same from one end through an are which lies in a plane substantiallyat right angles to the legs of the slightly opening the strands of.

tending slitted areas and longitudinally extending unslitted areas, thesteps oi folding up the unslitted areas into ribs substantially desiredin of the depth and configuration the completed product, and utilizfolding up operation to accomp h a preopening of the strands of theshtted areas, and subsequently subjecting the blanks to an opening pullsubst in the general plane thereof to con L e the :pansion.

10. In the herein described method of panding blan rs having 1 tendingslitted areas and long -uL extending unslitted areas with grooves in theformer, the steps of 1 ing up the unslitted areas into ribs andutilizing the said folding up operation to accomplish a pre opening ofthe strands included in the legs of the grooves in the sliued areas.

11. In the herein described method of expanding blanks havinglongitudinally ex tending slitted areas and longitudinally extendingunslitted areas with grooves in the former, the steps of folding up theunslitted areas into ribs the bottoms of which lie substantially in theplane of the bottoms of the grooves and the legs of 'ch extendoppositely to the legs 01' the grooves, and slightly opening the strandsincluded in the legs of the grooves in t is slitted areas as the foldingup operation is carried on.

12. In the herein described method 01" expanding blanks havinglongitudinally extending slitted areas and longitudinally er;-

tending unslitted areas with grooves in the former, the steps otprogressively tolding up the unslitted areas into ribs the bottoms ofwhich lie substantially in the plane or the bottoms of the grooves andthe legs of which extend oppositely to the legs of the grooves, andprogressively slightly opening the strands included in the of thegrooves in the slitted areas as the "folding up operation is carried on.

18. In the herein described method of expanding blanks havinglongitudinally extending slitted areas and longitudina ly extendingunslitted areas with grooves in the former, the steps of progressivelyfolding up the unslitted areas into ribs the bottoms of which liesubstantially in the plane or the bottoms of the grooves and the legs ofwhich extend oppositely to the legs of the grooves,

and progressively slightly opening the strands included in the legs ofthe grooves in the slitted areas as the folding up operation is carriedon, the last mentioned operation being carried on successively beginningwith the strands farthest from the center of the grooves.

14. In the herein described method of expanding blanks havinglongitudinally extending slit-ted areas and longitudinally extendingunslitted areas with grooves in the former, the step of folding up theunslitted areas into ribs the bottoms of which lie substantially in theplane of the bottoms of the grooves and the legs of which aresubstantially parallel to the nearest groove legs to slightly open thestrands between the ribs and grooves.

In the herein described method of expanding blanks having longitudinallyextending slit-ted areas and longitudinally extending unslitted areaswith grooves in the former, the step of folding up the u slitted areasInto ribs the bottoms which lie substant- Ly in the plane of the bottomsof the grooves and the legs of which extend oppositely to the groovelegs and are substantially parallel to the nearest groove legs to 16.The herein described method of making expanded metal ineshwork from ametallic blank having strands and connecting bridges which includesslightly bending the stran ls flatwise and longitudinall with respect tothe connecting bridges to partially expand the meshwork, andsubsequently completing expansion by subjecting the blank to an openingpull in the general plane thereof.

17. In the herein described method of making expanded meal iieshworkfrom a blank which has been slitted to pro uce strands and strandinterconnecting bridges, the steps of gripping a portion of the strandsand bridges, gradually releasing said portion and bending the strands,as they are released, flatwise and longitudinally with respect to theconnecting bridges to partially expand the ineshwork, and subsequentlysubjecting the blank to an opening pull in a direction laterally oi theplane thereof to complete expansion.

18. The method of expanding a blank having a longitudinally extendingslitted area with a groove therein, which includes gripping the blank inan area including groove, gradually releasing portions of the slittedarea included in the g pped portion, slightly opening said portions, asreleas d, by bending the strands to extend (lengthwise) at an angle tothe general plane of the blank, and subsequently subjecting the blank toan opening pull in a direction laterally of the plane thereof tocomplete expansion.

19. The herein described process of expanding the meshwork of a slittedmetallic blank having strands and strand intercon necting bridges whichlie in planes at least parallel to the general plane of the blank, whichincludes the steps of slightly opening the meshwork by bending thestrands thereof with respect to the connecting bridges so that theirlongitudinal extension is at an angle to the general plane of the blankso as partially to expand the meshwork, and subsequently subjecting themeshwork to an opening pull substantially within the said general planeof the blank, whereby the second mentioned step completes the expansionof the meshwork by additionally bending the strands in a manner similarto that set forth in the first step, even though the strands andconnecting bridges were originally disposed in planes at least adjacentto the general plane of the blank.

20. The herein described method of opening expanded metal meshwork intwo general operations, which includes, as the first operation, swingingor bending the strands of the meshwork so that the longitudinal axes ofthe individual strands extend at an angle to the general plane of theoriginal blank, and, as the second operation, completing the expansionof the meshwork by subjecting it to an opening pull in the general planeof the blanl 21. The herein described method of expanding a blank havingstrands and connecting bridges which consists in subjecting the strandsto an opening pull in a direction transverse the plane of the blank topartially separate the strands and then in subjecting the strands to anopening pull in a direction laterally or" the plane of the blank tocomplete expansion.

HERBERT K. BAKER.

